Friday, 28 March 2014

GRIMMTASTIC GIRLS by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams Book Blast & Giveaway


The Books

Cinderella Stays Late by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Book 1 of the Grimmtastic Girls series
Genre: middlegrade


About Cinderella Stays Late:
The authors of the hit Goddess Girls series put a fun and girly twist on another super-popular theme: fairy tales!

Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia…

A Grimmtastic girl named Cinderella is starting her first week at Grimm Academy on the wrong foot. Cinda’s totally evil stepsisters are out to make her life miserable. The Steps tease Cinda, give her terrible advice about life at the academy, and even make her look bad in front of her new friends, Red, Snow, and Rapunzel! But when Cinda overhears the Steps plotting a villainous deed that could ruin Prince Awesome’s ball, Cinda, her new friends, and a pair of magical glass slippers have to stop them–before the last stroke of midnight!
Source: Info in the About Cinderella Stays Late was from the press kit from the publicity team.

Buy Link(s):


Red Riding Hood Gets Lost by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Book 2 of the Grimmtastic Girls series
Genre: middlegrade


About Red Riding Hood Gets Lost:
Red Riding Hood might have a terrible sense of direction, but her grimmtastic friends are always there to help!

Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia…

Red Riding Hood is thrilled to try out for the school play. Acting is her dream, and she’s great at it–too bad she has stage fright! After a grimmiserable audition, Red decides to focus on helping her friends Cinda, Snow, and Rapunzel save Grimm Academy from the E.V.I.L. Society. But when Red gets lost in Neverwood forest and runs into Wolfgang, who might be part of E.V.I.L., she needs her magic basket and a grimmazingly dramatic performance to figure out what’s going on!
Source: Info in the About Red Riding Hood Gets Lost was from the press kit from the publicity team.

Buy Link(s):


Snow White Lucks Out by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Book 3 of the Grimmtastic Girls series
Genre: middlegrade


About Snow White Lucks Out:
Snow White might be jinxed -- but at least she has the other grimmtastic girls to count on!

Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia. . .

Snow White is having terrible luck. Her stepmom, Ms. Wicked, always puts her down, and is a member of the E.V.I.L. Society that is threatening Grimm Academy. Snow's new friend, Prince Prince, seems to be around for all her most grimmbarrassing moments. And Snow, Red, Cinda, and Rapunzel have been searching the castle for the treasure they know is hidden there, but it's nowhere to be found. Can Snow find her own magical charm, end her bad luck, and protect the school from E.V.I.L.?
Source: Info in the About Snow White Lucks Out was from the press kit from the publicity team.

Buy Link(s):


Meet The Authors

About Joan:
Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated more than 130 children’s books, including Little Red Writing (illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet) and Zero the Hero. She lives in NC and is online at www.joanholub.com


About Suzanne:
Suzanne Williams is the author of nearly 50 books for children, including the award-winning picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg). She lives near Seattle, WA and is online at www.suzanne-williams.com


Co-authors Joan and Suzanne have written the Goddess Girls, Heroes in Training, and Grimmtastic Girls series. Though they live in different states and hardly ever get to see each other, they spend lots of time together in Grimmlandia.



Giveaway

$50 Book Blast Giveaway

Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: April 23, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the authors, Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.



UNPLANNED MOTHERHOOD $100 Blast Giveaway

The Book

Unplanned Motherhood by Lena Sledge
Genre: non-fiction

About Unplanned Motherhood:
Unplanned Motherhood is a non-fiction collection of short stories written by moms and dads about their funny inspirational or motivational journey as a parent. Unplanned Motherhood is based on the web series created by Lena Sledge.


Unplanned Motherhood is a comedy web series for perfectly imperfect families, starring Lena Sledge as Layla, a wife and mother of five that gives parenting advice on her real life mommy blog. Her unique parenting style contradicting with her perfect parenting advice lends to a distinct brand of humor. With each episode we see Layla teaching her kids life lessons as she discovers more about herself and the advice she gives to her readers. Unique to this web series is the actual blog that Layla writes where she gives the perfect parenting advice and after many of her posts, follows the tag line; to see how I really handled the situation watch this week's episode.


This web series is special because the viewers of the web series and the readers of the real life blog get to interact with Layla and let her know if her advice is on the money or share their own parenting advice. To follow the Unplanned Motherhood blog go to www.lenasledge.com. Stay tuned. Unplanned Motherhood debuts March 28th!!!!


If you'd like to submit a short story to be included in the book Unplanned Motherhood, send 500 words or less to sonnybrookfilms@yahoo.com. Short story must be clean, family friendly as well as funny, inspirational or motivational.
Source: Info in the About Unplanned Motherhood was from the press kit from the publicity team.



Sneak Peek:


Unplanned Motherhood Cast

Unplanned Motherhood Cast

Starring Morgan Hamilton as Sonny, Stefani Colvin as Brooke, Grayson Kilpatrick as Deacon, Aidan Heuer as Spoon, and Ari Heuer as Ari.

Episode 1:


Meet The Author

About Lena:
Lena Sledge is an awarding winning author. Her first book, a collection of short stories called If I Had My Way, won the 2012 African American Literary Award for Best Short Story/Anthology. Her short film, Grandma's Hands, won 3rd place at the River City Film Festival in March 2014. Her most recent project, a comedy web series called Unplanned Motherhood debuts on March 28th on Youtube. Lena Sledge has collaborated on many literary projects as well as tv and film projects. She offers advice, resources, and tips on writing, navigating the independent film industry as well as reviews and highlights about upcoming books and authors. Lena Sledge also enjoys photography, you can view some of her photography work on her website as well as Flickr.




Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/21/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Review: FERAL SINS

FERAL SINS audiobook
Feral Sins by Suzanne Wright
Book 1 of the The Phoenix Pack series
Read by Jill Redfield
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback & audiobookSamsung Galaxy Note audiobook

About Feral Sins:
Taryn Warner is a wolf shifter with extraordinary healing skills - and serious problems. First, her father is determined that she mate for life with a wolf shifter named Roscoe Weston, whom the feisty Taryn can't stand. To make matters worse, she's also been kidnapped by Trey Coleman, a dangerous alpha male from another pack. And as much as she wants to resist Trey, Taryn is incredibly, maddeningly attracted to him. When he makes her a tempting proposal that will benefit both of them, the strong-willed healer has to decide whether escaping an unwelcomed bond with Roscoe is worth the risks of mating with Trey, no matter how temporary their allegiance is intended to be.
Source: Info in the About Feral Sins was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15949671-feral-sins on 01/07/2013.

FERAL SINS paperback
Review:
I bought this audiobook because I liked the sound of the sample that I heard at audible. But me being me, have to buy the paperback to go with the audiobook. And this book got read/listened to. The narration is about the best feature of this book. The plot is a bit thin on the ground. Straightforward escape from under dad's thumb and into prince charming's arms and they lived happily ever after. And that's it. I believe that the plot is not there for the story per sey but as a framework to the sex. So that the sex wouldn't be just wham bam thank you ma'am, but has a story to go with it as well. As such it worked well. But nothing more. So this book could almost be classified as an erotica. In other words, paranormal porn. The story telling quality wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that riveting either. It was so, so. But what really brought the rating for this book down is the ambiguity of the world building. I'm not sure whether the world of shapeshifters is a common knowledge in the general population or whether it is only known to select human authorities. That hasn't been made clear. Now, I am an urban fantasy geek so I love vampires, shapeshifters and all manners of paranormal elements. So automatically this book ought to be a good one for me. But despite the paranormal elements in the book, it felt a bit lackluster for me. And then the author showed a lack of understanding about canines. If you are writing about wolves, the least you can do is research wolf behaviour. Their ears flatten with tips pointing back, not straight up, when they growl aggression. This brought the suspension of disbelief considerably down. But like I said, the story telling quality wasn't that bad and the narration was good, so can't give this book a less than three.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 3
Character development = 3
Story itself = 3
Ending = 4
World building = 2
Cover art = 4
Pace = 3
Plot = 2.5
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Phoenix Pack Series:

Thursday, 27 March 2014

FOG CITY STRANGLER Blog Tour & Giveaway


THE GLAMOR GIRLS OF THE SKY
There are no more stewardesses.

The stewardesses on airlines morphed into flight attendants who are both male and females. In the 21st Century flight attendants are the generally congenial people who walk down the aisle of the cramped plane offering you a small cup of soda, an even smaller bag of peanuts and tells you to stow your bags before take-off.

The glamor of air travel has gradually disappeared and most passengers who navigate the extensive security at the airport and then squeeze into the seat on the plane, hardly consider it a glamorous experience.

There is nothing wrong with flight attendants but they are a far cry from the glamor girls of the 1950s and 1960s who were called stewardesses. In Life magazine in 1957, there was a cover picture and featured article called “The Glamor Girls of the Sky.”

The article details the rigorous training and selection process a woman must endure in the hopes of being chosen by the airline to be a stewardess.

The stewardesses of the 1950s and 1960s were something very close to movie stars and were widely admired by men as sex symbols and also were envied by women of the era.

This was the world where the female protagonist, Amelia Ryan, inhabits in my new mystery “Fog City Strangler.” Amelia is clearly a “glamor girl” and admired all the men she encounters.

The attention and admiration at that comes to Amelia as a stewardess is a two-edged sword.

I found an old job application for stewardesses from the 1950s. The requirements show how far we have come as a society and specifically how far women have come in their quest for equality in the work place.

Here is a laundry list of the requirements for stewardesses. They are:

Appearance: Height and weight proportionate
Attractive ("just below Hollywood") Standards
Gender: Female
Martial Status: Single, not divorced, separated or widowed.
Race: White
Age: 21 to 26 years old
Education: Registered nurse or two years of college
Height: Between 5 feet, 2 inches and 5 feet, 6 inches
Weight: 135 pounds maximum

I'm not sure how a woman is supposed to react to the qualification--"attractive, just below Hollywood standards." Is it a compliment or an insult to be told that you are "just below Hollywood standards?" It's astounding to think of a job application which would list the "qualifications" as "white, single, female, a range for height and of course, a weight restriction. The weight restriction was a sliding scale. For instance, the fictional character, Amelia Ryan is 5 feet four inches which means she could only weigh 125 pounds. If a stewardess shows up for a flight above weight, she is grounded.

The airlines wanted pretty young, single women to provide eye candy for their well-heeled passengers who flew--mostly affluent businessmen. Once a woman was over 26 or was married she was asked to resign.

That of course changed.

On February 11, 1958, Ruth Carol Taylor was hired by Mohawk Airlines and became the first African-American flight attendant in the United States.

Ironically, despite her historic breaking of the racial restriction, Ruth's career ended just six months later due to another discriminatory barrier: she married and was dismissed by the airline. Incidentally, only stewardesses had the age restriction and the marriage ban. No other airline employees and especially pilots, were under the same type of requirements.

In my novel, stewardess Amelia Ryan falls in love with Sam Slater. They want to get married. But Amelia also loves her job. She has to choose between marriage and continuing as a stewardess. It was a great dilemma for her.

The glamorous world of stewardesses was one of the only avenues open to women in the 1950s to "see the world" and have a career. But it came at a great price. Sam and Amelia are secretly married in “Fog City Strangler.” They keep their union a secret so she can continue to work for the airline.

In an earlier book in the mystery series—“San Francisco Secrets” another challenge rears it’s head for Amelia--sexual harassment.

A womanizing pilot, Mark Silver, is essentially Amelia’s boss and aggressively pursues her with unwanted sexual advances. There was no such term as “sexual harassment” in the 1950s. As she tried to fight off Capt. Silver, Amelia ponders the avenues she has to protect herself. There are basically none. Amelia wonders if she goes to the airline to complain about Silver if it will cause her problems, not the pilot. She fears that when she complains about the “sexual harassment,” the airline will just say that “boys will be boys.”

Stewardesses routinely had to evade grabby male passengers and the unwanted advances of pilots.

Sam is upset by the groping of Amelia and complains about her work environment saying that if anyone is attracted to my girlfriend they can “take a sample.”

It would be several years before the stewardesses unionized and stood up to the airline. There was a series of lawsuits that knocked down the discriminatory barriers for women.


The Book

Fog City Strangler by Greg Messel
Book 1 of the Sam Slater Mysteries
Genre: crime fiction

About Fog City Strangler:
As 1958 nears an end San Francisco is being terrorized by a man who calls himself the “Fog City Strangler,” who preys on pretty young blonde women. The strangler announces each murder by sending a note and piece of cloth from the victim’s dresses to the local newspapers.

Private eye Sam Slater is worried that the Fog City Strangler may be eyeing his beautiful blonde wife, stewardess Amelia Ryan. Sam’s angst mounts as the strangler continues to claim more victims. His anxiety is further fueled when TWA launches an advertising campaign with Amelia’s picture on a series of billboards plastered all over the city. Sam fears the billboards may attract too much attention–the wrong kind of attention.

Meanwhile, Sam and Amelia are hired to try to find the missing daughter of a wealthy dowager who fears she has lost her only child. The missing woman went for a walk with her dog on Stinson Beach, near San Francisco, and seemingly vanished into thin air. The woman’s husband arrived at their beach house and found the dog running loose but there was no trace of his wife. The police are stumped in their investigation.

As Sam and Amelia look into the disappearance of the woman on the beach they discover that nothing is as it seems at first glance. On a stormy night a shadowy figure sets fire to the beach house where the couple is staying–hoping to stop their investigation.

Fog City Strangler is a stand-alone thriller but is part of the Sam Slater Mystery Series–Last of the Seals, Deadly Plunge and San Francisco Secrets.
Source: Info in the About Fog City Strangler was from the press kit from the publicity team.

Buy Link(s):


Chapter One:
THE BEACH FIRE
Stinson Beach
November 29, 1958

Amelia Slater had only slept a short time before she was startled awake by crashing and banging noises outside the beach house on Stinson Beach where she was staying with her husband Sam Slater.

Shortly after she awoke, another physical sensation hit her as she regained consciousness. She was really cold. She tried to see if Sam was awake but the darkness was so thick that she couldn’t see him even though he was right next to her in the bed.

The house where Sam and Amelia were staying seemed to be right in the bull’s eye of an unusually fierce early winter storm that was zeroing in on the northern California coast. Storm warnings were up for the coast for high winds followed by heavy rains. The fury of the storm raged outside the large window of Sam and Amelia’s bedroom as the winds whistled through the rain gutters of the beach house and rattled the windows.

The two-story beach house was perched on a steep hill which thrust up from the sandy, wide beach below. The master bedroom where Sam and Amelia were sleeping had a large sliding glass door which opened out onto a deck that surrounded the house on the second story offering spectacular vistas of the beach below.

The beach house also had a round turret with a large leaded-glassed window of Neptune, Kind of the Sea, flanked by two large fish with curvy tails. On the roof was a large weather vane of a gray whale which was spinning like a top in the high winds.

Beach access from the house was a wooden stair case which was built on the steep hill that was covered by thick, low-growing masses of blooming ice plant. The staircase had obviously been replaced recently since the wood had not yet become the weathered gray color of the rest of the house. The raging storm was roiling the foamy surf which crashed onto Stinson Beach and was lapping up at the bottom of the wooden stairs.

Their sleep had been brief. In preparation for a stormy night, Sam and Amelia had found flashlights and candles to put on the nightstands on either side of the bed in case they lost power.

Sam detected Amelia stirring next to him in bed and tried to click on the lamp on the nightstand. It was then that he discovered that the house had no power. Sam reached into the darkness until his hand touched the flashlight. He then clicked it on to look at his wristwatch which was on the table. It was 1:15 a.m.

“Amelia,” Sam said softly, “are you awake?”

“Yeah,” came the reply out of the pitch darkness of the bedroom. “How could anyone sleep through this? I’ve been awake for a while. I didn’t want to bother you in case you had been able to get to sleep.”

“No such luck. It’s freezing in the house. I’m going to go check on things. Maybe I can get a fire going in the fireplace. Light the candles. I’m going to go see if the house is okay. I heard some really loud noises earlier.”

Sam didn’t want to unnecessarily alarm Amelia but he’d swear he had heard footsteps earlier, like someone running through the house. He couldn’t be sure because of the sounds of the raging storm.

Sam clicked on his flashlight so Amelia could find the matches. After she lit the first candle, Sam disappeared into the darkness. Amelia watched as the shafts of light from Sam’s flashlight vanished from sight as he began to walk through the house.

Amelia picked up the candle and made her way to a chair to retrieve her coat which she put on over her nightgown to fight off the chill. She listened intently and could hear some thumping noises. She wasn’t sure if source of the banging was Sam or the storm.

“Sam! Sam!” Amelia called. “Where are you? Sam, is that you?”

There was no response.

The large floor-to-ceiling glass doors which opened off of the bedroom were rattling to the point where Amelia wondered if they would be able to withstand the strong winds. Amelia heard noises outside on the deck and saw a shadowy figure throwing a large can which clanked onto the deck. The man then turned and ran. She strained her eyes against the dense darkness.

Amelia instinctively walked towards the glass doors. She wondered if the man on the deck was Sam. If it was, what was he doing?

She held up the candle but could see nothing. She reached for the flashlight on the table and clicked it on. Amelia shined it out the glass door, but she could see nothing but her own reflection. As she walked closer the beam of her flashlight fell on a red gas can lying on it’s side on the deck.

Amelia moved closer towards the door and then to her horror she saw flames racing across the deck outside the doors. Amelia was simultaneously confused and frozen with terror as she watched the deck become a wall of fire being buffeted by the high winds from the storm.

The bewildered Amelia shrieked before turning to run towards the bedroom door with the flashlight illuminating her path. She began shouting Sam’s name as loudly as she could. As she opened the bedroom door two shots rang out and ricocheted off the wall and door frame above her head.

Amelia squealed and retreated into the bedroom, slamming the door. She looked for a way to lock the door to protect her self from the assailant but there was no lock. It was an old fashioned lock that required a skeleton key.

There was so much noise from the fire roaring outside on the deck and that storm, that Amelia couldn’t tell if the shooter was pursuing her further or attempting to break down the bedroom door. She leaned against the door but knew she would be defenseless if the gunman wanted to force his way into the bedroom.

Where was Sam? Was he okay? Who fired the shots at her? Who set the deck on fire?

Amelia was now trapped between an unknown assailant outside her bedroom door and the fire raging on the deck on the other side of the glass doors. She knew she had just moments to make a decision about how to escape.

She decided to take her chance on the deck since the shadowy figure who fired the shots at her was undoubtedly just outside her bedroom.

Amelia tried to grasp the door handle to the sliding glass door but it was getting hot. She couldn’t figure out how to unlock it and didn’t have time in the darkness to deal with it. Amelia decided to take more direct action--she picked up a wooden chair and threw it at the large glass doors onto the deck.

The chair cracked the glass but mostly bounced off of the door and fell onto the floor. She quickly scanned the room for something heavier that she could throw through the glass door.

Amelia spotted a large metal paperweight on a writing desk in the bedroom. It looked like some kind of navigation tool from a boat. Amelia cocked her arm and threw it as hard as she could at the cracked glass door.

That did the trick, but the glass shards from the door went flying all over the bedroom floor and the deck. The breaking of the door only made her situation worse as the high winds now pushed the flames into the bedroom and closer to Amelia.

The curtains around the large glass door ignited as the fire now snaked it’s way towards Amelia. It was now going to be impossible for Amelia to escape onto the deck because of the intensity of the flames. Amelia let out a blood curdling scream. “Sam! Sam! Help! Sam, help me!”

The storm and the crackling of the fire which exploded into the bedroom onto new sources of fuel drowned out Amelia’s cries for help. She eyed the bedroom door and decided she had to open it and confront whatever was on the other side.

Sam had taken his gun when he left moments ago. She had no idea what had happened to him. The defenseless Amelia stood in front of the closed bedroom door, She glanced over her shoulder at the advancing flames.

Amelia didn’t know what awaited her on the other side of the door but she was going to have to make a break for it.

To her horror when she grabbed the knob and turned it but the door was locked. Someone had used a skeleton key to lock her in the burning bedroom.

She was trapped.


Book Trailer:


Meet The Author

About Greg:
Greg Messel grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and now lives in Edmonds, Washington on the Puget Sound with his wife, Carol. Fog City Strangler is his seventh novel and is the fourth in a new series of Sam Slater mystery novels. Greg has lived in Oregon, Washington, California, Wyoming and Utah and has always loved writing, including stints as a reporter, columnist and news editor for a daily newspaper.


Giveaway

Giveaway Details:

Greg Messel is giving away a 3 book set of his Sam Slater Mystery Series (Last of the Seals, Deadly Plunge and San Francisco Secrets AND a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive the 3 book set and $25 Amazon Gift Card.
• This giveaway begins February 3 and ends on March 28.
• Winner will be contacted via email on Monday, March 31, 2014.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!


Pump Up Your Book
w | f | t | g+ | yt | p

NOWHERE TO GOA: Bhang Lassis, Rickshaws, and Holy Cows!

The Book

Nowhere to Goa: Bhang Lassis, Rickshaws, and Holy Cows! by Doug E. Jones
Genre: travel adventure


About Nowhere to Goa: Bhang Lassis, Rickshaws, and Holy Cows!:
Nowhere To Goa is a travel adventure novel that takes off when Scott, a studious sophomore at Northwestern University, flies halfway around the world to bring home his troublesome twin brother who has just been released from jail in India after a run-in with the law; something to do with a bhang lassi, a rickshaw, and a holy cow! But when his brother proves hard to reel in, Scott's three day jaunt turns into an epic journey, taking him from the islands of Thailand to the mountains of Nepal, from India's Pushkar Camel Fair to the sacred Ganges River, and ultimately to the balmy beaches lining the Arabian Sea, where the story reaches its climatic finish at one of Goa's infamous Full Moon Parties. In trying to find his brother, Scott loses himself in the pursuit of knowledge, purpose, and love as he hitches a hedonistic ride on South East Asia's backpacker scene and the quest for the endless summer that has him questioning everything he has-and hasn't learned.
Source: Info in the About Nowhere to Goa: Bhang Lassis, Rickshaws, and Holy Cows! was from the press kit from the publicity team.

Buy Link(s):


Meet The Author

About Doug:
Doug E. Jones graduated from UCLA with a degree in English Literature and a minor in Creative Writing.

He has worked overseas in Australia, Japan, and Costa Rica and traveled extensively in Thailand, Nepal, and India where his novel takes place.

Back in the States, he wrote for the TV show Charmed.


Wednesday, 26 March 2014

(More) Reasons to Read


In 2007, NPR's "All Things Considered" reported on a study done to check in on American reading habits. The results were significant, if not expected: "Fewer and fewer Americans are reading for pleasure."

The reasons for the recent decline in reading for pleasure are various and many: we're busier now than ever, according to ABC News; we're tired and stressed and sometimes reading can seem like more work than watching television; we don't know what to read and finding something that captivates us can be difficult; we have so much technological stimulation that setting aside time to unplug and read seems impossible; it goes on.

Sometimes, we just have to remind ourselves what's so great about reading and why we really should be finding the time to do it. It may just relieve some stress from your life and possibly even bring back a spark of romance!

Read to Escape

Reading riveting books, especially ones that really pull you into a different world such as paranormal romance books, can bring you out of the everyday monotony of life and ignite your imagination. After a long day at work, who doesn't want to escape into a different world? Some ideas for books in this realm are J.R. Ward's vampire paranormal romances and Kresley Cole's books.

Read to Rediscover Yourself

Reading erotica can help put you in touch with your own sexuality. As you read steamy scenes, you have to imagine what's going on and you might just remember something that turns you on, that you might want to try with your partner, or that you never even knew you wanted! According to Adam & Eve, you can get ideas for the bedroom from erotic literature you read, and then perhaps try a literature-inspired kit and "explore your senses and enter the untamed world of bondage play."

Your romance books may give you ideas about other sex toys, costumes, or props that turned you on in the book and that you want to try. There are lots of romance novels out now that feature BDSM, which may give you some exciting ideas. If you're a history buff, there are also plenty of romance novels set in the Victorian era that will stimulate your mind and body alike. Try Maya Banks' "Sweet Addiction" for a new BDSM book and perhaps "Solace" by Scarlet Blackwell for an erotic Victorian novel.

Read to Stay Sharp

The Huffington Post published an editorial that points out reasons "why smart women read romance novels." Reading had also been shown to increase empathy, reading comprehension, reading speed, and other skills that will serve you in all aspects of your life.

Read to Relax

Finally, reading should be relaxing. It's quieter, easier on the senses, and more centered on your own imagination than television. So fill up the bathtub with warm water and bubbles. Maybe pour a glass of wine to unwind, grab a romance novel, and just relax. You'll be glad you did.

WW28: LORD OF THE ABYSS

WW28 book offering: Lord Of The Abyss by Nalini Singh
A startled pixielike creature looked up from where she stood by the large freestanding bench in the center.
Looks like this book is poepled by interesting fantastical characters :)

About Lord Of The Abyss:
Once upon a time… the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs… and time is running out. …As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows — the daughter of his enemy. Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who'd cursed Micah. She sees past Micah's armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.
Source: Info in the About Lord Of The Abyss was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11866314-lord-of-the-abyss on 29/12/2012.

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!
  • First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
  • Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
  • Come back to Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give us the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.